Improvements to Urban Training on Salisbury Plain

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is investing more than £500,000 to improve facilities at Copehill Down’s Fighting in Built Areas (FIBUA) Village on Salisbury Plain.

These include the provision of alleyways, tunnels, compounds and high-level walkways all of which will add considerable complexity and flexibility to training in one of the country’s busiest individual training features.

The FIBUA Village, constructed in 1987, is a purpose-built facility to allow soldiers to practise fighting in an urban environment. Over the years it has seen a number of significant enhancements to meet the changing needs of the Armed Forces.

In tandem with the alleyway project, a ‘shoot house’ is also being constructed to enable teams to practise their low-level urban skills, such as house clearance. They will use simulated ammunition. This allows for more realistic live training but without the need to provide large danger areas.

Maj Alistair Rule, Training Safety Officer (Dry), Salisbury Plain Training Area, said:

“DIO is committed to enhancing the service it provides to the Armed Forces and this investment is a great example of how we are doing this.

“The FIBUA Village is an incredibly important and popular facility which is born out by the numbers who train there.”

The cost of the alleyway project is £325K and the shoot house is £190K. The work is expected to be completed in early May.

Ends

Press enquiries to Helen Pickering, Assistant Communications Officer 0121 2413 or email helen.pickering101@mod.uk  

DIO website: www.gov.uk/dio

Twitter: @mod_dio

Read DIO’s blog: https://insidedio.blog.gov.uk/

Notes to Editors          

1) The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) plays a vital role in supporting our Armed Forces by building, maintaining and servicing what the men and women who serve our country need to live, work, train and deploy on operations.

2) DIO is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). It is responsible for managing and maintaining land and properties, as well as providing related support services, to meet the current and future      needs of the MOD and personnel at home and abroad, and to support current operations.

3) Picture caption - Work upnderway to improve the Copehill Down FIBUA village. [Crown Copyright/MOD2015]

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